Systems, devices, and methods for reconfiguring and routing a multichannel audio file

Abstract

Presented herein are systems, methods and devices for reconfiguring and routing a multichannel audio file to an external audio system. One method includes, in any logical combination and order: identifying, by an input configuration module of a dedicated software application running on a computing device, a plurality of input channels in the multichannel audio file; identifying, by an output configuration module of the dedicated software application, a desired output configuration having a plurality of output channels; assigning, by the output configuration module, each of the input channels to one or more of the output channels such that each of the input channels corresponds to one or more assigned output channels; and routing, by a routing module of the dedicated software application, each of the input channels to the corresponding one or more assigned output channels.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A multichannel audio system for reconfiguring and routing multichannel audio files to one or more speaker devices, the multichannel audio system comprising:
 an audio interface device comprising:
 a plurality of line-level program channel ports each configured to output an audio signal to a speaker; and 
 
 a computing device in communication with the audio interface device, wherein the computing device is configured to:
 identify a plurality of input channels in a multichannel audio file, wherein each input channel includes an audio signal including a frequency bandwidth, 
 assign each of the input channels to two or more output channels, 
 route the entire frequency bandwidth of each of the input channels to each of the assigned two or more output channels, and 
 transmit an audio output signal including the entire frequency bandwidth corresponding to each output channel to the audio interface device, 
 
 wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least:
 a first multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, and 
 a second multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, 
 
 wherein the second multichannel audio file is different than the first multichannel audio file. 
 
     
     
       2. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to assign at least one input channel to two or more output channels. 
     
     
       3. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to assign each of the input channels to two or more output channels. 
     
     
       4. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify a plurality of input channels associated with each of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file. 
     
     
       5. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device further comprises:
 an output configuration module including a list of assignments designating how each input channel should be routed, and 
 a routing module configured to route, according to the output configuration module, each of the plurality of input channels to output channels associated with each of: a two channel output configuration, a four channel output configuration, a five channel output configuration, an eight channel octophonic output configuration, an eight channel dual quadrophonic output configuration, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic output configuration, a ten channel decaphonic output configuration, a ten channel dual surround output configuration, and a ten channel 3D surround configuration. 
 
     
     
       6. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a third multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the third multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file and the second multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       7. The multichannel audio system of  claim 6 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a fourth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the fourth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, and the third multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       8. The multichannel audio system of  claim 7 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a fifth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the fifth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, and the fourth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       9. The multichannel audio system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a sixth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the sixth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, and the fifth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       10. The multichannel audio system of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a seventh multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the seventh multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, the fifth multichannel audio file, and the sixth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       11. The multichannel audio system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least an eighth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the eighth in multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, the fifth multichannel audio file, the sixth multichannel audio file, and the seventh multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       12. The multichannel audio system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of the plurality of input channels in the multichannel audio file is different than a number of the plurality of output channels. 
     
     
       13. A method of playing a multichannel audio file on an audio system, the method comprising:
 selecting a multichannel audio file to be played;
 identifying, via a computing device, a plurality of input channels associated with the multichannel audio file, wherein each input channel includes an audio signal including a frequency bandwidth; 
 
 identifying an output configuration corresponding to an audio system, wherein the output configuration includes a plurality of output channels; 
 assigning each of the input channels to two or more of the output channels; 
 assigning an audio scaling level to each of the input channel-output channel assignments; and 
 causing the entire frequency bandwidth of each input channel of the multichannel audio file to be played through each of the respective assigned two or more output channels of the audio system, 
 wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least:
 a first multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, and 
 a second multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, 
 
 wherein the second multichannel audio file is different than the first multichannel audio file. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of assigning the audio scaling levels comprises assigning each of the input channels to two or more output channels. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of identifying the plurality of input channels comprises identifying whether the multichannel audio file is any one of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of assigning each of the input channels comprises assigning each of the plurality of input channels to output channels associated with any one of: a two channel output configuration, a four channel output configuration, a five channel output configuration, an eight channel octophonic output configuration, an eight channel dual quadrophonic output configuration, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic output configuration, a ten channel decaphonic output configuration, a ten channel dual surround output configuration, and a ten channel 3D surround configuration. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a third multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the third multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file and the second multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a fourth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the fourth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, and the third multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a fifth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the fifth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, and the fourth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a sixth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the sixth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, and the fifth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least a seventh multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the seventh multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, the fifth multichannel audio file, and the sixth multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computing device is configured to identify at least an eighth multichannel audio file selected from the group consisting of: a two channel audio file, a four channel audio file, a five channel audio file, an eight channel octophonic audio file, an eight channel dual quadrophonic audio file, an eight channel 3D quadrophonic audio file, a ten channel decaphonic audio file, a ten channel dual surround audio file, and a ten channel 3D surround audio file, wherein the eighth multichannel audio file is different from the first multichannel audio file, the second multichannel audio file, the third multichannel audio file, the fourth multichannel audio file, the fifth multichannel audio file, the sixth multichannel audio file, and the seventh multichannel audio file. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 13 , wherein a number of the plurality of input channels in the multichannel audio file is different than a number of the plurality of output channels.